Illuminated radio antenna



June 21, 1949.- a, woo 2,473,981

ILLUIINATBD RADIO ANTENNA Filed Jan. 21, 1946' INVENTOR.

fry/ 3 5 51/006?! Patented June 21, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICEILLUMINA'I'ED RADIO ANTENNA Francis G. Wood, East Detroit, Mich.

Application January 21, 1946, Serial No. 842,484

1 Claim.

This invention relates to radio antennas and in particular to suchantennas for vehicles, such as automobiles.

One object of this invention is to provide a combined radio antenna andsafety light, especially for mounting upon a vehicle, such as anautomobile.

Another object is to provide a radio antenna secured in a translucentplastic rod together with means for illuminating the rod, therebyenabling the antenna to function also as a safety light for the vehicle,and at the same time protecting the antenna conductor from corrosion.

Another object is to provide an illuminated radio antenna mounted in atransparent plastic rod which is illuminated near one end thereof, thelight being carried up the rod in such a manner that the rod isilluminated throughout substantially its entire length, thereby servingas a warning light to vehicles approaching from either side and servingto prevent collisions.

Another object is to provide an illuminated radio antenna for vehiclesand the like as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein thetranslucent material of which the rod is made has optical properties ofsuch a nature that the illumination of the rod near one end causes therod to shine with a diflused glow which is sufllcient for warningpurposes yet which will not be mistaken for ordinary driving lights.

Another object is to provide an illuminated radio antenna for vehiclesand the like as set forth in the preceding objects wherein thesupporting bracket for the antenna is also illuminated, it being ofsimilar translucent material, suitably colored, if necessary, to conformwith the vehicle lighting laws.

Another object is to provide an illuminated radio antenna for vehiclesand the like, as set forth in the preceding objects, wherein a smallaperture or window in the bottom bracket permits sufllcient light toshine downward, thereby illuminating a portion of the vehicle on theantenna side thereof.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparentduring the course of the following description of the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation, partly in section, of an illuminated radioantenna according to a preferred embodiment of the invention:

Figure 2 is an approximately horizontal section along the line 2-2 inFigure 1;

Figure 3 is an approximately vertical section along the line 3-3 inFigure 1; and

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic side elevation of a portion of a vehicle withthe illuminated radio antenna of this invention mounted thereon.

Referring to the drawing in detail, Figure 1 shows a preferredembodiment of the illuminated radio antenna of this invention, generallydesignated III, as consisting generally of an upright i I supported inbrackets l2 and i3 secured to the side of a vehicle [4 (Figure 4). Theupright H is of translucent material, preferably of translucent ortransparent plastic, and has mounted therein a conductor l5 which servesas the radio antenna proper.

The upright II is sufliciently elongated to provide a suitable lengthfor the antenna conductor I5 and the two may be molded in a single unitby methods well-known to the plastic molding industry. The upright ll ispreferably tapered from its lower end It to its upper end l1, and mayterminate in a pointed tip [8, if desired. The tapered shape of theupright i I provides not only a pleasing appearance but also a strongconstruction.

The illuminated radio antenna I0 is preferably supported in the lowerbracket l3 by means of a clamp 20 encircling the groove 2| in theupright I I (Figures 2 and 3) and having a shank 22 which is threaded asat 23 and which passes through a hole 24 in the vehicle body panel 25and is secured in place by the nut 26. The body panel 25 also contains ahole 21 through which the extension 28 of the conductor I5 passes on itsway to the radio setmounted within the vehicle I4.

The intermediate portion of the upright l I within the -upper bracket i2is secured to the body panel '25} by :a similar clamp 29 (Figure l) ofsimilar construction to the clamp 20 and similarly secured. The clamp 29is covered by a streamlined contoured cover 30 which is provided withapertures 3| and 32 encircling the upright II at the points where itenters and emerges from the cover 30.

The lower bracket l3 also preferably has a streamlined cover 33 which,in its most desirable form, is also of translucent plastic material,white or colored, as previously stated. The cover 33 is provided with anupper aperture 34 through which the upright ll projects upwardly, and alower aperture 35, which may also have a window therein, if desired, thelatter aperture serving to permit light to shine downwardly over thebody of the vehicle. This downwardly shining light may serve not only towarn other drivers of the presence of the vehicle, but also toilluminate the 3 ground or runnin board near the door to assist inentering or alighting from the vehicle.

The cover 33 is also provided with a partition 36 therein (Figures 1 and2) upon which is mounted a lamp socket 31 for receiving a lamp 38. Thelamp 38 is energized by conductors 39 and 40 (Figure 2) passing throughthe body panel 25 by way of the aperture ll. The conductors 38 and 40are connected to any suitable source of electric current, such as thestorage battery or a car, by way of a switch mounted in any suitablelocation. such as on the dashboard or instrument panel of the vehicle.

In operation, the switch (not shown) is closed so as to energize theconductors l9 and 40 and light the lamp 38. The light from this lampshines upwardly through the lower end I! of the upright II and isconducted upward through substantially the entire length thereof,causing the upright II to shine with a diflused glow which is visiblefor a great distance.

At the same time, light from the lamp 3! passes outward through "thetranslucent cover 33 of the bracket l3 and illuminates it, likewiseserving as a warning light. Finally, a portion of the light shinesdownward through the aperture or window 35 onto the lower part of thebody panel 25 and serves as an additional warning and also to illuminatethe ground to assist in entering or alighting from the vehicle.

When the radio switch (not shown) is closed, the antenna conductor I5 isconnected to the radio set and picks up radio waves which are conductedto the set, where they are detected or rectified and amplified in theusual manner, the signals being made audible by the loud speaker.Obviously, the device may be used as an antenna by day or by night. Thetranslucent plastic body of the upright ll thus serves not only toconduct illumination but also to protect the antenna conductor it fromcorrosion and to strengthen it and support it in a suitably rigidmanner.

While I have shown and described my invention in detail, it is to beunderstood that the same isto be limited only by the appended claims,for many changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scopeof my invention.

What I'claim is: 7

An illuminated radio antenna for vehicles comprising an elongatedupright of translucent material, an antenna conductor mounted withinsaid upright and extending longitudinally therealong, a bracketenclosing a lower portion of said upright, and a. light source mountedwithin said bracket and positioned for projecting light upwardly intosaid upright, said bracket having a light-transmitting portion thereinat the bottom thereof whereby to project light downwardly therefrom.

FRANCIS G. WOOD.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,933,959 Block Nov.7, 19332,009,671 Bairey Nov. 23, 1937 2,198,443 Paul et al Apr. 23, 19402,245,701 Mountjoy June 17, 1941 2,252,395 Cohen Aug. 12, 1941 2,260,253Johnson Oct. 21, 1941 2,285,588 Kirkes June 9, 1942 2,344,370 ShapiroMar. 14, 1944 2,420,772 Dalton May 20, 1947 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 515,892 Great Britain 1939

